The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Well, we got off to a good start. Great to see Big Z solid(Good). I think he needs to bat higher in the lineup if we're going to have a dud like Blanco(Bad) in there. Can we send him and his .150 avg.(Ugly) back down already? I told my brother that if Lou had Fontenot and Blanco both in the lineup vs. a lefty, I was going to have to call him up and have a chat. Thank God only Fontenot started, but seriously, he's like 4-35 vs. lefties (Ugly)this year. Can we have Z DH for him? Then he makes 2 huge errors(Ugly). I can forgive the errors because he's playing out of position, but we have to do something about 3B! Good to see Fox(Good) get a start. Not hit, but an RBI. Batting .300 thus far. Heilman, Marmol, and Guzman all had scoreless innings(Good). Guzman is down to 2.36 ERA(Good). Somehow Marmol is at 3.33 (Good)even with all his walks! Bradley pinch-hit, so I guess he won't be totally starting over on finding his stroke again(Good). D-Lee has brought his average up to .268(Good). That's pretty impressive for where he was. (Good) to see Soto hit a HR. Harden may start by Thursday(Good). We need to pass the Reds in the standings and hang in there with the Cards and Brewers until Ramirez gets back. We're lucky we're still only 4.5 back(Bad). I could definitely see the Brewers losing in ATL today. Cards are at home vs. CO(Bad), but the Rockies send out Jimenez(Good). Would like to end this series tied with Cincy, one game behind the Cards and 3.5 behind the Brewers. Here's my proposed lineup for the finale and their careers vs. Bronson Arroyo. I really want to see Hoffpauir getting ABs especially with Bradley out. I know Johnson is the hot hand, but Micah needs to be in the lineup! Notice I go with Soriano at 2B in game 3, even though I'm sure it won't happen(Bad)! I imagine it will be Blanco at 2B(Ugly), and in that case would like to see Kosuke sit. I'd rather see Fox at 3B and Fontenot at 2B than that though.

vs. Bronson Arroyo(R)

2B-Soriano(.211, 1 HR)

SS-Theriot

RF-Fukudome(0-9)

1B-Lee(.241, 2 HR)

CF-Johnson(3-11(.273))

LF-Hoffpauir(0-1)

3B-Fontenot(2-3, HR)

C-Hill(1-1)

Bullpen Help?

Maybe sign this guy up? It's Coach Zook from Illinois football throwing out the first pitch, but come on! Wells pitches great again (no-hitter into the 7th and should have been a perfect game at that point) and the bullpen blows a 5-1 lead? He's now got a 1.69 ERA in 5 starts and is 0-2! Of course Bradley is injured now. Will someone please take him off our hands? Hoffpauir and Johnson would be just fine! Sweet Lou says Fontenot will pretty much be everyday 3B with Scales and Blanco at 2B. I'd like to send Blanco back down (he's 2-14 so far)and we need a righthanded hitting 3B option vs. lefties. They say the Cubs didn't know Blanco was no longer a switch hitter until he came up. Those are things I'd think you'd know. Fox is taking grounders at 3B. I say play him vs. lefties. Why not? Can we make a trade already!? Rumors are many. Dan Uggla (currently batting .209)or Jorge Cantu(terrible fielder) from Florida. Matt Holliday from Oakland, but he can only play LF. That means Soriano to 2B. Talk of bringing DeRosa and Wood back. My personal least favorite-Omar Vizquel. We need Ramirez and Harden healthy! Here's a look at the pitching match-ups in the last 2 games of the Braves series(we may get swept):


vs. Derek Lowe
LF-Soriano(.245, 3HR)
SS-Theriot(2-10)
RF-Hoffpauir
1B-Lee(.393, HR)
CF-Johnson(4-11 .364)
3B-Fontenot(3-5)
C-Soto(2-5)
2B-Scales

vs. Jair Jurrjens
LF-Soriano
SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
1B-Lee
RF-Hoffpauir
2B-Scales
3B-Fontenot
C-Hill

Panic Button?

I guess this is the start of hitting the panic button? Sent Cotts to the minors(thank God!). Sent Scales to the minors(don't really understand). Brought up our hitting star, Jake Fox. He's a converted catcher playing OF,1B, and 3B, but a liability anywhere. He was batting .423 with 17 HRs. Also brought up SS-Andres Blanco who was batting .314 to replace Miles who is apparently injured. Lastly, brought up some reliever, LHP-Jason Waddell that I had never heard of. He had a 5.51 ERA. Not sure why we didn't bring up Samardzija, Jeff Stevens(1.77ERA), or Greg Reinhard(2.25 ERA). I guess because the are not lefties, but come on. Can we make a trade already!? Rumors are many. Dan Uggla (currently batting .209)or Jorge Cantu(terrible fielder) from Florida. Matt Holliday from Oakland, but he can only play LF. That means Soriano to 2B. Talk of bringing DeRosa and Wood back. My personal least favorite-Omar Vizquel. Doesn't that sound Cubbish? Can you say Nomar Garciaparra? Can we invite the Pirates back to town?

Big win vs. Billingsley, although I'd like to mention these two series: Runners at 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs. Fontenot lines out to 2B. Hill K's. Blanco pops out to 1B. Runner at 3rd and 0 outs. Lee grounds out to P. Hoffpauir and Fontenot ground out to 1B. Come on. Nice outing by Dempster yesterday. Sweet Lou says Fontenot will pretty much be everyday 3B with Scales and Blanco at 2B. I'd like to send Blanco back down and we need a righthanded hitting 3B option vs. lefties. Here's a look at the pitching match-ups in the last 2 games of the Dodgers series(they haven't decided on the starter in the last game):

vs. Eric Milton(L) or Hiroki Kuroda(R)-below

LF-Soriano(6-12)

SS-Theriot(1-1)

CF-Johnson

1B-Lee(4-18, 3HR)

RF-Bradley(3-14, HR)

3B-Fox

C-Hill

2B-Blanco

vs. Kuroda

2B-Soriano(3-7)

SS-Theriot(1-5)

CF-Fukudome

1B-Lee(2-6)

RF-Bradley

LF-Hoffpauir

3B-Fontenot

C-Hill

Insult To Injury

All right, maybe it is time to panic? Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano, Bradley, Marmol, Soto, and now Harden have all had some type of injury easily before the all-star break!? We need to make a move to change the momentum. Boost morale. Show we are in this thing. Hoffpauir has got to be in there. Either make a deal which includes getting him in our lineup everyday, or make the Soriano to 2B move. Some of the problems: Freel(.100), Bradley(.188), Soto(.202), Miles (.204), and Fontenot(.208). Seriously, if we just put our top 8 players by current average in the lineup, Johnson comes in at 8th with .237. Lee 7th at .248. Even Soriano is at .257 and Theriot .263! The bullpen? Marmol is finally coming around, but I'm sure he'll flake out if promoted to closer, so you know we have him and Gregg. Guzman has been the next best. Then I say bring up Greg Reinhard(whom I've never heard of) who has 36 K's in 28 innings for Iowa. Bring up my boy Samardzija (21 K's and 6 BBs with 3.75 ERA). I didn't even realize we let Luis Vizcaino go to Cleveland, so our next best 2 (since apparently we have 7 in the bullpen)? I guess Ascanio(4.76 ERA)and Heilman (5.30) by default? Can we please send Patton (8.03 ERA) and Cotts (5.40 ERA) packing? Here's a look at the upcoming home stand vs. Pittsburgh (almost a must sweep at this point!)and my proposed lineups and the numbers vs. the pitchers.

vs. Paul Maholm(L)

LF-Soriano(6-17(.353), 3HR)

SS-Theriot(3-15)

CF-Johnson(4-6)

1B-Lee(7-21 .333)

RF-Bradley

C-Soto(2-5, 2 RBI)

2B-Scales

3B-Freel(6-26)

vs. Ian Snell(R)

2B-Soriano(9-18, 3HR)

SS-Theriot(7-18 (.389))

CF-Fukudome(1-5)

LF-Hoffpauir

1B-Lee(6-25 (.240)

RF-Bradley(1-2)

3B-Scales

C-Soto(4-6, 5RBI)

vs. Zach Duke(L)

LF-Soriano(14-25 (.560) 2HR)
SS-Theriot(8-25 (.320)
CF-Johnson(6-14 (.429)
1B-Lee(10-35 (.286)
RF-Bradley(2-4)
C-Soto(3-12)
2B-Miles(5-13(.385)
3B-Freel(3-8 (.375)

Panic Mode?

I don't think so, but this sure is frustrating. A sweep from the Cards is one of the most painful things we Cub fans can endure, so I thought I'd try to give you something to smile about with the picture? Then I couldn't even find the best one, but anyway...It seems the bats are coming to life, then they disappear. The bullpen is a train wreck! I still say it's early. I still say blame it on all the injuries. We'll be all right. It is a long season, and a game of averages. These guys are not going to bat .180-.220 all season. Cub batters often get off to slow starts. Also, Don't forget we just swept SD not long ago. We welcome back Big Z in game 1 and send out Harden and Lilly in games 2 and 3. Here's a look at what my lineups would be and their careers against the scheduled Padres pitchers. Interesting that we start off vs. Peavy who rejected the Sox deal and seems to really want to be a Cub? Are we going to make it work? I think bullpen help is much more a necessity, but what a rotation that would be, and maybe the psychological lift we need?:

vs. Jake Peavy-We beat him 6-2 in the last meeting

LF-Soriano(3-5 last time vs. Peavy)

SS-Theriot

CF-Fukudome(3-5 last time vs. Peavy)

1B-Hoffpauir(1-1 vs. Peavy)

RF-Bradley(1-3 2 RBI last time vs. Peavy)

C-Soto(1-3 last time vs. Peavy)

3B-Scales(1-1 last time vs. Peavy)

2B-Miles(1-4 last time vs. Peavy)

vs. Josh Geer

LF-Soriano
SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
1B-Lee
RF-Hoffpauir
C-Hill
3B-Scales
2B-Fontenot

vs. Chris Young-beat him 6-4 in the last meeting

LF-Soriano(4-13 w/2HR career vs. Young)
SS-Theriot(2-4 w/2HR career vs. Young)
CF-Fukudome(1-4 last time vs. Young)
1B-Hoffpauir
RF-Bradley(1-2 last time vs. Young)
C-Soto(4-5 w/a HR career vs. Young)
3B-Freel(1-5 vs. Young)
2B-Miles(1-5 vs. Young)

Can We Get Some Relief?

What happened to the bats!? 1 run in 2 games. One vs. Joel Pineiro? The Bullpen issue is ridiculous! Maybe we can bring some of the guys out of retirement? Oh, for the days of Big Lee Smith! Maybe even the Wild Thing? Well, maybe not, but we need an answer. I say bring Samardzija back. Add Marshall to the pen. Possibly promote Marmol to closer(even though he hasn't been very good either!). How many are usually in the bullpen? I say we bring Samardzija and Vizcaino back up(Vizcaino hadn't given up a run in 3.2 IP). Guzman(3.32), Marmol(4.00), Marshall(4.02), Heilman(4.86), and Gregg(6.06). Just dump any of the others. Then, we gotta deal. Maybe deal D-Lee to get Hoffpauir in the lineup every day? Deal Wells, Marshall, or Samardzija? Someone else, I don't know! Anyway, huge series coming up in St. Louis. We get Big Z back Friday. Our top 5 hitters according to average include Ramirez who is injured, Fukudome, the 3 that aren't even considered regulars: Hill, Hoffpauir, and Scales. Maybe those 3 should be getting more at-bats for awhile? We send out Lilly, Dempster, and Marshall. Here's a look at my proposed line-up and their careers vs. Wainwright:


vs. Wainwright

LF-Soriano(.222)
SS-Theriot(.292)
CF-Fukudome(3-10)
1B-Lee
RF-Hoffpauir
C-Soto(3-8)
2B-Fontenot(4-11)
3B-Scales

Go Cubs Go!

Huge clutch HR for Soriano. Randy Wells has now pitched 11 scoreless innings! The bullpen is pretty scary right now. I would still like to see the Shark in the mix. Tom is talking about still picking up Peavy. Is that still a likely thing? We have a lot of decisions to make with Wells, Marshall, Samardzija, and the Lee/Hoffpauir situation. Throw Bobby Scales in the mix, and we have some serious trade bait. I can't imagine that rotation. I guess Marshall would be dealt or put in middle relief? Reports are that Z will be back the 22nd. That's less than a week. News isn't as promising for A-Ram. Happy to have the Brewers playing the Cards. I'm pretty impressed that we are where we are considering injuries and/or slow starts to Lee, Ramirez, Bradley, Zambrano, and Soto! Anyone else notice Fontenot's plummeting average? I've always liked him, but we may need to look at more PT for Bobby Scales at 2nd and 3rd. I still like the idea of platooning most positions other than SS, LF, and RF until Ramirez gets back. Looking at our team batting average, Scales is #1 followed by Ramirez Fukudome, Hill, Theriot, and Hoffpauir. We may need to get Hill and Hoffpauir more at-bats? Here's a look at the series finale on Sunday:

vs. Brian Moehler(R)

LF-Soriano(.353)

SS-Theriot(.286 2-7)

CF-Fukudome(.333 3-9)

1B-Lee(.308 4-13, 2 HR)

RF-Bradley

2B-Fontenot(.333 3-9)

C-Soto(2-10) Hill?

3B-Freel(.273 3-11) Scales?